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While Bachmann may be Pawlenty’s foremost foe at the moment, it’s Texas Gov. Rick Perry who could pose the longer-term threat if the congresswoman falls by the wayside.

With more experience than Bachmann and more charisma than Pawlenty, Perry would have the potential to coalesce the vote of those still searching for a Mitt Romney alternative. Maltby wasn’t the only Iowa activist to bring up Perry’s name.

In conversations over a half-dozen events in two days, Perry came up repeatedly as a subject of curiosity.

Martha Hillman, a Marshalltown Republican, praised Pawlenty after seeing him at an event in her hometown, describing herself as “very impressed” but not yet committed.

Asked who else she was considering, Hillman first enthusiastically mentioned that she ruled out Romney and hung up on him when he called for a tele-town hall. Then she conceded that she had been with Bachmann but was reconsidering because she didn’t think “she can make it” as a woman.

Finally, the Republican got closer to the point.

“I think this is the best so far,” she said of Pawlenty. “But I’ll look for Rick Perry. “

In the interview, Pawlenty called Perry a friend but suggested that political gravity would eventually kick in.

“In terms of his record, like everybody that’ll get scrutinized,” said the Minnesotan. “As new people come into the race they get the initial soft reporting then they get the second wave of what’s really behind the curtain here.”

It’s not clear whether Perry will be on the Ames ballot. It’s up to the state GOP to decide whether to include him, but there is a precedent: four years ago, Iowa Republican officials included Fred Thompson’s name even though he hadn’t yet entered the race. If Perry were to be on the ballot and draw significant votes, it could undermine Pawlenty’s case that he’s the chief Bachmann alternative in Iowa—and cast even more doubts about the former governor’s prospects.

There’s little that Pawlenty can do about that. His bet now is that the caucus-goers — thanks to years of experience, new technology and a burning desire to beat Obama – will ultimately think more like clear-eyed operatives than swooning voters. That his process-heavy pitch will resonate, shake them from their flirtation with Bachmann and focus their attention on winning in November 2012.

“People figure it out over time,” he said, mixing prediction with hope. “And so initially there’s always kind of the buzz of a new entrant, or a new person on the scene, we get that. But in the end Iowans and Americans are pretty discerning.”

Olde T-Paw was taking some shots at Bachmann over her headaches....... Romney was more tolerant.........

"Mitt Romney strongly defended Michele Bachmann from questions about her health this afternoon, telling reporters during a visit to Los Angeles that there was "no question" that she's physically fit to serve as president.

"There's no question in my mind that Michele Bachmann's health is in no way an impediment to her being able to serve as president," Romney said. "She and I have differing views, I'm sure, on some issues ... Her health should not be an issue in a campaign."

Romney's comments are markedly different from those of another Republican, Tim Pawlenty, who said earlier Wednesday that candidates "are going to have to be able to demonstrate they can do all of the job all of the time."

Pawlenty previously said that he didn't have the medical expertise to evaluate Bachmann's condition."

"There's no question in my mind that Michele Bachmann's health is in no way an impediment to her being able to serve as president," Romney said. "She and I have differing views, I'm sure, on some issues ... Her health should not be an issue in a campaign."

Romney is wrong. The health or lack of health of a presidential candidate is a very legitimate issue for voters to consider. Bachmann's condition is one that is stress-related and can be fully incapacitating, not something one wants in a president who must face and respond to the great stress of near-chronic crises at home and abroad. Perhaps he is only being a gentleman and suggesting he won't make it an issue and not suggesting voters ignore it.

I'll assume the title is somewhat ironic as even in the article there seems to be few signs of life in the dwindling Pawlenty campaign. Low on cash, running 5th or 6th in Iowa, and at 2% nationally, Pawlenty's camapign aspirations now depend on him surprising people with a high finish in the Ames straw poll. Not even winning it, as it looked only a few months ago, but just beating expectations by not finishing in the cellar.

It's telling the article ends with almost as much on the hope of many Iowans that Gov. Rick Perry gets into the race.

Pawlenty's campaign now is simply a fight for relevance with an irrelevant candidate. He won't be the nominee and doesn't appear to be even a strong vp choice for someone.

Romney is wrong. The health or lack of health of a presidential candidate is a very legitimate issue for voters to consider. Bachmann's condition is one that is stress-related and can be fully incapacitating, not something one wants in a president who must face and respond to the great stress of near-chronic crises at home and abroa

Its not Bachmann's health that is the problem it is her sanity. She is certifiable.

We need more of your kind in DC to fend off the LIES of the LEFT - especially this one - that the RICH don't pay their fair share of taxes:

According to POLITIFACT, "America's wealthiest 25 percent pay 86 percent of total income taxes. Wealthiest 5 percent pay 60 percent of total income taxes." A Congressman has said that the TAX BURDEN falls OVERWHELMINGLY on the wealthy in this country and POLITIFACT agrees with him!!!

All the GOP donors are holding out on the Walking Texas Jesus - Rick Perry.

And well they should. Perry can garner the big time GOP establishment support that translates into big bucks from the major donors. And Rick Perry can also lay claim to the Tea Party grassroots support and enthusiasm that will be necessary to defeat Obama.

Republicans who thought beating Obama in 2012 would be easy are simply kidding themselves. The GOP needs a stronger candidate who can bring the entire package to the table. Romney doesn't have the grassroots support necessary, and that is all Bachmann has. Rick Perry is the best fit by far of any of the major candidates.

We need more of your kind in DC to fend off the LIES of the LEFT - especially this one - that the RICH don't pay their fair share of taxes:

According to POLITIFACT, "America's wealthiest 25 percent pay 86 percent of total income taxes. Wealthiest 5 percent pay 60 percent of total income taxes." A Congressman has said that the TAX BURDEN falls OVERWHELMINGLY on the wealthy in this country and POLITIFACT agrees with him!!!

These rah-rah-rah cheerleading posts for the uber rich are nauseating.

Martin's piece was among the stupidest I've seen so far from him, which is saying something. It is based on the premise that the biggest loser in the Iowa Straw Poll will be the biggest winner by some kind of political jiu jitsu. Not in this life. Winners win and losers lose. Pawlenty will be done for after Iowa.

Just how many contests does Ron Paul have to win before he merits more than a passing mention in articles like this one?

Things have changed a lot for Ron Paul since his long-shot bid back in 2008. Four years ago he was polling less than 1% in the national polls, and today it's 9-14%, depending on the poll, well ahead of other candidates you slobber all over.

He wins all the major contests -- typically by wide margins -- including CPAC two years in a row and the Southern Republican Leadership Conference last month.

You frequently report that he has such a narrow base of supporters. So explain how he raised more money in Q2 than Bachmann and Pawlenty, and that it was primarily from a host of small donors. Most of Romney's and Pawlenty's donors have maxed out -- the banksters are flush with bailout dollars seeking wheels to grease -- while Ron Paul's comparatively huge army keeps giving and giving. In fact, he raised over $600K in the past couple of days in another "money bomb," again from many thousands of small donors.

But the big difference is the economy. Ron Paul has been warning since 2003 that a housing bubble was forming, that the impact of its inevitable collapse would be catastrophic, and he's been explaining what to do to prevent it. He was right back then, but nobody was listening. They're sure listening now!

Americans are sick of the endless wars, deficit spending, inflation, constant erosion of our liberties, and empty promises from both sides of the aisle. The big difference in this election cycle is that the people are finally ready for Ron Paul's message of peace, freedom, and prosperity!

The big difference in this election cycle is that the people are finally ready for Ron Paul's message of peace, freedom, and prosperity!

Ron Paul 2012!

Ron Paul has about as much of a chance of becoming the republican nominee as I do. And he knows it. The point isn't for him to win anything but it's to send a message to other republicans on issues they'd rather not address, such as these endless stupid wars depleting the treasury and so on.

What makes Pawlenty so dull is precisely what's outlined in a paragraph in this story.

Since first working as former U.S. Dave Durenberger's driver, Pawlenty has weighed every single move he's made in life, along with every word he's said, in terms of what's best for his political career.

Do that for decades and you have no soul. That's Pawlenty.

Other writers like the guy from The New Republic, frame that as "doing everything right."

Baloney. That's precisely what's wrong with this country. We have a generation of politicians like Pawlenty whose guiding stars are what's good for themselves, personally, politically.

Let's hope the voters in Iowa reject the drab soulless Pawlenty.

As an aside, watching Pawlenty crash should be a good sideshow. You get the sense that, after all, he planned his whole life for this, and it's simply not possible that someone who did not will beat him. Pawlenty is going to get whinier and whinier and it won't be pretty.